AGENDA ITEM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ITEM TITLE
title
Omnibus Text Amendment to the Chapel Hill Land Use Management Ordinance and Town Code
presenter
RESPONSIBLE STAFF, TITLE, DEPARTMENT*
Tas Lagoo, Long-Range Planning Manager, Planning Department
STAFF RECOMMENDATION*
Close the hearing, adopt Resolution A, and enact Ordinance A.
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LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT*
The Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO), Town Code Appendix A Section 8.1 requires Town Council, in its legislative capacity, to consider proposed amendments to the LUMO. NCGS 160A-174 provides for the creation of Ordinances through enactment by the Council.
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT*
Council previously discussed this text omnibus text amendment during regular meetings on October 22 and November 19, 2025, and during a work session on January 7, 2026. Proposed revisions to be considered include:
• Increasing the allowed size of duplexes, ADU’s, and cottages;
• Making existing manufactured home communities permitted uses in their respective zoning districts;
• Decreasing minimum lot sizes;
• Allowing flag lots and “zero-frontage lots”;
• Updating certain infrastructure requirements for subdivisions to only apply when new roads are constructed or when subdivided lots front on higher capacity streets;
• Removing mandatory parking minimums;
• Removing Concept Plan Reviews;
• Removing administrative Site Plan Reviews for most projects;
• Removing “Community Design Commission Final Plans Reviews;”
• Giving staff authority over all subdivision applications and aligning Town authority over subdivision approvals with state law;
• Streamlining the conditional zoning process;
• Allowing projects with existing Special Use Permits to add new uses that are already designated as permitted uses within the relevant zoning district without additional Council approval; and
• Miscellaneous technical corrections
COMPLETE COMMUNITY CONNECTION
The proposed amendments are intended to support incremental in-fill development in Chapel Hill, streamline review processes, and help to move the Town away from project-by-project decision making.
ATTACHMENTS
Ordinance and Resolution
• LUMO_Resolution - Consistency and Reasonableness
• LUMO_Ordinance - Approving the Text Amendments
Staff and Advisory Board Materials
• LUMO_Staff Report
• LUMO_Staff’s Draft Presentation
• LUMO_Planning Commission Recommendation
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